Great Crested Newts and other rare species of could soon be better protected after a green group landed Government cash.

The Tees Valley Wildlife Trust (TVWT) has been given more than £26,000 to continue funding work that will map the area's diverse wildlife - or biodiversity.

For the past two years, Dr Liz Auty has been working on the biodiversity project but now the TVWT has landed Government cash, with matched funding from Northern Rock, to complete the project and also employ another officer to extend community involvement.

"This cash will mean we can build on what we have achieved so far," said Dr Auty, biodiversity officer at the TVWT.

"We can continue developing biodiversity action plans for threatened species such as water voles and otters. We can also involve communities in charting the biodiversity in their own green spaces."

The new wave of the project will involve trust officers working with Teesside businesses and communities to survey and map the region's wildlife.

Once that is done, the trust will be able to draw up action plans to protect locally rare and endangered species such as newts, song thrushes and bluebells.